


The Council of Morningstar

by Mmjohns



Series: KarLena stories by MMJOHNS [59]
Category: Merlin (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Council of Morningstar, F/F, SuperCorp, Witch Lena, Wolf Kara, karlena, shifter fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 12:26:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12388047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mmjohns/pseuds/Mmjohns
Summary: Established in response to the witch hunts of the dark ages the Court of Morningstar was the shifters governing body. The Council was formed of the most powerful members of each of the magical communities with the intention to protect the shifters from human eyes. The council held the authority and ability to punish any member of the shifter community for any crime, and over years this had averted many a disaster. But there was a catch.





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> You know how you're just sitting there and its 1 AM, you're right on the edge of sleep and wakefulness, and then an idea hits you? Yeah, well that's what happened here. I have flagged a couple of things under archive warnings that may or may not happen depending on the progression I just wanted to give myself the freedom to act without anyone getting pissy.

Ok, so it was fair to say the shifter community didn’t really like each other. Between the predator/prey response and the years of hunting each other for sport it was safe to say that they got along about as well as two tomcats in a bag. That was to say meetings were loud and there was usually bloodshed. That was at least until the first Court of Morningstar. 

Established in response to the witch hunts of The Dark Ages, the Court of Morningstar was the shifters governing body. This Council was formed of the most influential members of each of the magical communities with the intention to protect the shifters from human eyes. The council held the authority and ability to punish any member of the shifter community for any crime, and over the years this had averted many a disaster. But there was a catch. 

The shifter council because of the power and scope of its jurisdiction had a check, an overseer, if you will, or rather two. Above the Council sat two people who would be chosen using trials to stand watch and ensure the council didn’t overstep its bounds. These people would remain in charge of the assembly until their death, and in the interests of strengthening the bonds between the species, they would be wed. On the death of the former overseers, those between their 21st and 25th birthday of each member community were required to undergo the trials of selection.

 

And that is where we find ourselves, July 25th, 2016, two weeks after the death of the overseers, and the first day of the shifter trials


	2. Trial 1 intelligence

The first of the trial was no different to any from the world of the humans. The first trial tested a beings intelligence, but not just their ability to remember facts and numbers but to interpret and draw conclusions. For this test, everyone was gathered into cubicles and seated. When they were seated, they were handed a number of objects. Their interpretation of the contained instructions and the way they would answer the questions would determine their outcomes.

_Southern California_  
For 24-year-old Kara Danvers, the day of this test started like any other. She was awakened at dawn by the suns rays filtering through the window and onto her face. Smiling at the lands sprawling out before her she rose and dressed in her favourite cardigan before making her way down to breakfast.

As she walked into the kitchen, she was greeted by Alex her 26-year-old sister and her adoptive parents Eliza and Jerimiah. Kara had moved home after college having obtained a PhD in theoretical physics and had decided to come home for a few months to see her family when the notification had gone out. And so it was that this morning she found herself sidelined from the now usual discussions on quantum field dynamics with Jerimiah instead thinking forward to the day that awaited her.

By the time she had finished breakfast, it was near on 8 am and rather than shifting and running into where the test was being held Alex offered to drive her. The drive in was filled with a comfortable silence and when they got there barely a word was needed as Alex wished her luck for the day ahead.

_Seattle_  
Halfway across the continent Lena Luthor likewise was getting ready to sit the test, in her 21st year Lena was barely old enough to qualify but that hadn’t slowed her down yet. Lena had always been ahead of others in most anything, be it soccer or academia she was always at the top of her class. This is what allowed her to have finished a PhD in Advanced Molecular Biochemistry by the time she turned 21. She had grown up in the Luthor household, and so of course, even this wasn’t enough for her mother. 

No her brother Lex could act like a lazy layabout spending his days chasing tail throughout the streets of Chicago but, no, Lena was the one who could never achieve enough. 

Eventually, though this had finally given her the strength to do something she had dreamed of since her father's death six years ago, she packed her bags, emptied her accounts and left. Three months later she was in Seattle when the message from the council came, and that was how Lena found herself driving to the outskirts of Seattle to sit the first trial.

 

The trial lasted all day, from 9 am to 10 pm. Its length was intentional intended to put stresses upon those who sat it and sure enough many had slowly dribbled out of the testing facilities as the day wore on. The test itself was divided into stages, and at the end of every stage each candidate was assigned a ranking, and only the top 10% were allowed to advance on to the next stage. There were ten stages in total, and by the end, there were only 50 candidates remaining.

By 10 pm that evening 50 candidates had been chosen, and for Kara and Lena the fates were entwining their destinies even now as they made their ways back home with the knowledge that when Sol rose tomorrow, they needed to be ready for it was only the beginning


	3. Trial 2 ordeal

The second trial was designed to test the conviction of those who had passed the first and was held two days after its predecessor. All 50 candidates were given a day to recover from their first test before being whisked away to an island in the South Pacific.

Upon arriving, they were placed into individual rooms where they would stay for the remainder of the tests. They were each given a day to settle in and get over any jet lag before the trial began but at midnight two days after the first, the second test began.

Each of the 50 candidates was taken one by one to a series of rooms in the middle of the complex at random. There they were exposed to a gas that brought their greatest fears to life. For the next several hours they would remain locked in those rooms, and there were only two ways out. Option one face and conquer their fears; or, option two press a small panic button and go home.

 

For Kara entering into that chamber was like stepping back in time. She could feel the button she had been given within her pocket, but she was determined she would not press it. As soon as the gas took ahold, she was assailed by waves of smoke and embers. She could feel the heat of the fire on her face and the burn in her lungs. In an instant she was thirteen again locked within the burning home, she had lost as her parents screamed around her.

 

For Lena, the chamber posed a different trial, instead of fire she was assailed by air. She found herself standing on a ledge above a skyscraper with the cityscape stretching all around her. Behind her was a solid wall before her a thin platform leading to a descending rig made of only rope. The wind buffets her from all sides pushing and pulling her toward the abyss below, and Lena has never been more terrified before.

 

In the room overseeing the trials the adjudicators watch and wait. They watch as the candidates confront that which is most terrifying to them. Several give in immediately, pressing their button and flooding the chamber with the antidote. Others fall to the ground in terror the room permeated only by the small whimpers of terror they let out before finally pressing their buttons. 

By Midday half of the candidates have been disqualified. But the most interesting ones were not the ones who still endure and combat their fears but rather those who seem to have defeated it most notably a blonde haired blue eyed wolf shifter, and a raven-haired emerald eyed mage.

Three and a half hours later the doors open and where before 50 had stood now only 20 remain.


	4. Trial 3 honour

Without honour there is nothing to stand between us and anarchy and as such this was the subject of the third trial.

On the night following the second trial each of the candidates was approached by their communities member of the council under the watchful eyes of the adjudicators. They were offered a way to bypass the remaining tests in exchange all they had to do was to stand by their community. All they had to do to seize power was to say yes. Those who hesitated or worse yet said yes were immediately disqualified, only those who had the strength of character and the honour to stand against their own brethren would move forward.

 

For Kara, this meant that as soon as she was back in her dorm room, she was approached by Cat Grant, the representative of the wolf shifters. She found herself face to face with Miss Grant while the elder spun a tale of how Kara could help her people. How Kara could defend their way of life and help those she cared for if only she would stand with them against the other communities, if she would use the power Miss Grant would ensure she gained against the 'lesser' communities.

 

Kara, however, couldn’t believe her ears; she had been told for years by her family about how Miss Grant was as fair and balanced as anyone. And yet here she was spouting talk of treason, of doing something which went against every fibre of Kara`s being and she found she was left with no choice. 

In spite of her belief in this woman, in spite of the small amount of hero worship she feels her path is clear. Moving so fast that there is no chance for Cat even to realise Kara has moved Kara shifts to her wolf form and leaps at Cat swiping a massive paw toward her head knocking the woman unconscious in moments. 

As soon as she is assured Cat will not be waking anytime soon Kara raises back to her human form and moves to the door calling for the guards that are already running toward them.

 

In the observation room the adjudicators watch with slack jaws, they had not expected that and had been caught unawares, but even they had to admit that Kara had made the best choice available to her

 

For Lena, she managed to get a good nights rest before her representative approached her. It was the next morning, and she was just finished dressing when there came a knock at her door, and she was met by the high witch Morgana who held her communities seat on the council. 

She was invited to follow Morgana into the gardens surrounding the dorms and even as she sensed something wrong she still agreed to follow. As they made their way outside Morgana seemed to lead her deeper into the gardens before coming to sit on a bench within small pergola before turning to Lena. 

Morgana speaks of her centuries on this earth, ever since the rise and fall of Camelot. She talks of the conflicts from over the years where shifters had driven the known world to the brink be it the French Indian war or even the 1st World War, and then she asks Lena to help her. She offers Lena something she has always wanted, a mother who would actually care for her. All Lena has to do is say yes, to say she will put the needs of her people above the needs of others. Lena desperately wants to say yes, all she has ever wanted was a mother figure to care for her but she will not do this. 

This goes against everything she stands for everything she knows to be right and so she rises from her seat before informing Morgana she is under arrest for treason. And Morgana, instead of the fury Lena expects looks pleased, happy even as she smiles while an adjudicator emerges from the nearby bushes and informs her it was all a test.

 

That evening where once had stood 20 now stood 8 and as the strands of fate pulled taut things were falling into place


	5. Trial 4 heart

The final trial also known as the trial of the heart was two-pronged, they already knew the candidates were smart, honourable and willing to stand against their greatest fears but this was not enough. The trial of the heart sought to test two fundamental things. One would they make the ultimate sacrifice for their people and secondly would they even be compatible with their mate to be. 

Those who passed the first part of the trial would be assessed before being placed into teams for the second part. The teams were based on the divisions within the community chosen so that those who would typically never come together would be tested together.

For the first part of the trial, they were each told of an emergency, of the compound being attacked before being handed a child and told to take them and flee. 

 

For Kara, this meant that one moment she was walking through the woods when one of the testers came running up to her covered in blood before handing her a small child telling her to take the child and run before falling ‘dead’ at her feet. Without even a moment's hesitation, Kara swept the child into her arms and ran into the woods, travelling deeper and deeper. When they eventually stop it is hours later, and the only light comes from the moon that hangs above them. 

 

Lena’s trial though starts when there is a loud explosion-like sound followed by a member of the guard running into her dorm bleeding heavily a small child clutched to her chest. She slides down the wall as she bleeds heavily from her wounds and Lena rushes to her side. 

She tries to help but is stopped as the guard hands her the child and says “run, before they catch you, I’ll hold them off” before staggering to her feet and making her way back into the hallway. 

The sounds of snarling and clashing that follow cause Lena to make a decision, drawing forth her powers she clutches the child to her breast before blasting the rear wall from her cell and summoning the aspect of a dragon and taking to the sky towards the woods to the north

 

When Kara enters the cave, she is surprised to come face to face with what appears to be a giant dragon. She can feel the fire growing in the dragon's belly and without hesitation, she pushes the child behind her shielding them with her body. She stands there as she waits for the end before there is a puff of smoke and the dragon disappears to show the most beautiful woman’s she has ever seen.

 

It takes her a few moments before her brain catches up to her eyes and she realises this woman must be of a witches coven. The witches and wolf shifters have never been particularly close and that only got worse after the events of 2005 when a rogue witch burnt Kara’s home down. But Kara, Kara has never sought to blame the many for the actions of the few, and as she steps toward the woman before her, she can’t help but be amazed at the beauty before her. 

They spend several minutes doing introductions where Kara learns the name of the beauty before her, Lena, Whilst Lena learns of how Kara came to be here. They stay there for several hours discussing their options before there comes a great thunderclap and Lena leaps in front of Kara as a silver tipped bullet soars towards them. Just as the bullet is set to hit it disappears into thin air, and instead, a puff of smoke appears, as the children transform into two adjudicators with thoughtful expressions.

 

To say Kara and Lena were pissed would be an understatement livid would be the better term but as they sit there in the lounge of the ‘slightly’ damaged facility they can’t help but sneak looks at one another and as the hours pass eventually they get to talking before passing out beside each other on the couch.

 

The next morning they awaken to the faces of the adjudication board and the council looking down on them. Before they can ask what is going on the lead adjudicator speaks “Kara Danvers of the Wolf shifters, and Lena Luthor of the witches coven, you have been chosen, together you have shown courage, wisdom, and truth of spirit, it is the opinion of this council that you shall be named as overseer of the Council of Morningstar, congratulations.”

Kara and Lena look at each other, shocked and unsure of what their future will hold.


	6. Day 1

The next morning finds Kara and Lena readying to get on a plane bound for Southern California. The board of adjudicators had named them as the overseers but aware of the sacrifice they were demanding they had allowed them 2 weeks to get their affairs in order before they would have to travel to the citadel. The citadel was a castle built into the North American wilderness and as such they had been given dispensation of a private jet for the 2 weeks in order to ensure their arrival. 

 

It had taken them a few hours after the council had left to truly work through what this all meant before Lena had stood saying “don’t get me wrong Kara, you’re truly a beautiful person, but I don’t want to marry you”

Kara had looked up confused a moment as she struggled to remember what Lena had said so caught up within her own mind was she that it takes her a little while to answer before she asks “don’t misunderstand me, I don’t like this either but what choice do we have?”

 

Lens looks at her a moment before she says “we could refuse, we could run”

 

Kara sighs in resignation “They would hunt us to the ends of the Earth, and besides you know the power of the council, if we don’t keep them in check who will? It’ll be The Cold War all over again except this time they may actually go through with it”

 

Lena sighs as she sits back down next to Kara who offers a hand which Lena takes entwining their fingers together. “Then What do we do?” Lena asks

 

“We work through this together,” Kara says squeezing their hands together lightly “we have to be wed, that much is true but they can’t force us to do anything beyond that. We can be friends, and maybe one day we could care for each other as more but for now let’s start with friends”

 

Lena raises her head and in a wistful tone she says “friends, I’ve never had a friend before”

 

Kara smiles through the pain she feels at Lena’s admission before saying “you do now”

 

Lena turns to her and gives her a soft smile at Kara’s reassurances before her face darkens as she says “Kara, there’s something you need to know about me, about my family”

 

Kara looks at her confused “ok, what is it?”

 

“My Mother, Lillian runs Luthor Corp…”

 

“Wait, you’re that Lena?” Kara asks excitedly “that’s so cool, Wait I totally interrupted you, I’m sorry, I uh, I do that sometimes, I’m sorry, please continue”

 

Lena lets out a small chuckle at Kara’s rambles before continuing “what I need to tell you is that I don’t need to spend any time visiting my family so if you want you can just drop me off in Seattle and I’ll…”

 

Kara gives her an unimpressed look which brings Lena to a halt as Kara says “Then you’re coming home with me”

 

“Kara I couldn’t…” Lena tries

 

“Nonsense, you’re coming home with me Lena and that’s final” Kara says with a decisive nod before smiling again

 

Lena can’t help the infectious smile that makes it onto her face as she chuckles, “why do I get the feeling nothing I say will change your mind”

 

Kara smiles as she says “because it won’t” before sticking her tongue out at Lena causing them both to let out a chuckle.


End file.
